Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of automatic network service initiation involves obtaining, from a network service server at a first network device of a network service block (NSB), network address information using a network service client at a second network device of the NSB that is connected with the first network device, at the second network device of the NSB, obtaining network service configuration information based on the network address information, and, performing automatic network service initiation of the second network device of the NSB based on the network service configuration information.

Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of automatic network service initiation involves obtaining, from a network service server at a first network device of a network service block (NSB), network address information using a network service client at a second network device of the NSB that is connected with the first network device, at the second network device of the NSB, obtaining network service configuration information based on the network address information, and, performing automatic network service initiation of the second network device of the NSB based on the network service configuration information.

Methods and systems are described for managing communication in a network. A computing device may send a request to a network device for network address. The request may comprise a temporary device identifier associated with the computing device. The network device may send data indicating an option to trust the network device. If the computing device indicates acceptance of the option to trust the network device, additional information may be sent to the network device to allow identification of the computing device from one session to another.

Methods and systems are described for managing communication in a network. A computing device may send a request to a network device for network address. The request may comprise a temporary device identifier associated with the computing device. The network device may send data indicating an option to trust the network device. If the computing device indicates acceptance of the option to trust the network device, additional information may be sent to the network device to allow identification of the computing device from one session to another.

Methods and systems for Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation optimization. A method includes a data collector collecting IP address information from sources of IP address inventory and an optimization controller generating a data set from the collected IP address information, minimizing IP address allocations for network components in a network using IP address allocation and IP address utilization for a network component from the data set, minimizing IP address inventory costs using IP address inventory and IP address utilization from the data set and IP address transactional costs, tracking the IP address inventory, sending configuration information to network component(s) to change respective IP address allocations based on minimized IP address allocation, sending transaction information to IP address provider(s) to change the IP address inventory based on minimized IP address inventory costs, and performing the above on a defined interval.

A method for renewing an IP address includes: obtaining, by a controller, DHCP address information from a client, where the DHCP address information includes an IP address of the client, a MAC address of the client, and an address of a DHCP server that assigns the IP address to the client; and when the controller determines that the client is powered off, sending, by the controller by using the address of the DHCP server, an IP renewal request including the IP address and the MAC address to the DHCP server to renew the IP address, until the client registers with the controller. Therefore, the client can use a same IP address every time the client is powered on, and service configurations related to the IP address on the client are continuously effective and do not need to be changed.

A method for renewing an IP address includes: obtaining, by a controller, DHCP address information from a client, where the DHCP address information includes an IP address of the client, a MAC address of the client, and an address of a DHCP server that assigns the IP address to the client; and when the controller determines that the client is powered off, sending, by the controller by using the address of the DHCP server, an IP renewal request including the IP address and the MAC address to the DHCP server to renew the IP address, until the client registers with the controller. Therefore, the client can use a same IP address every time the client is powered on, and service configurations related to the IP address on the client are continuously effective and do not need to be changed.

A method for electronic device identifier assignment at a host computing device includes receiving a current local identifier of a separate electronic device and a full unique identifier of the separate electronic device. A host-specific identifier is assigned to the separate electronic device by, based at least in part on determining that the current local identifier of the separate electronic device is included in a set of local identifier values available for assignment, assigning the host-specific identifier to the separate electronic device with a same local identifier value as the current local identifier. Based at least in part on determining that the current local identifier of the separate electronic device is already assigned by the host computing device to a different separate electronic device, the host-specific local identifier is selected from the set of local identifier values available for assignment and assigned to the separate electronic device.

The present application describes the generation and use of micro-pools that are assigned to various DHCP servers by an agent. In examples, each micro-pool includes a set number of IP addresses. The agent tracks which DHCP servers are assigned which micro-pools. As the IP addresses of a micro-pool are assigned to requesting computing devices, the agent may subsequently assign an additional micro-pool to a particular DHCP server.

The present disclosure provides an IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration method, a network device and a host. The method includes: sending a router advertisement RA message to a host, wherein the RA message includes a prefix information option, and the prefix information option includes a prefix and a flag. The host performs IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration according to the prefix and the flag.